The Creevey Papers
Thomas Creevey to Elizabeth Ord, 28 March 1836
“28th.
“. . . My sister used to reproach me for letting so
many of my companions ‘get before me’ in life, and used to instance
Scarlett being a lord and Western too; but her best case would have been
Abercromby, who was a suitor to me
thirty years ago for any office that would secure him food; and here he
is—Speaker of the House of Commons! entertaining me in one of the finest
houses in London, and with the finest company. We had a great turn out at
dinner there on Saturday—the Dukes of Norfolk and Devonshire,
Lord and Lady Seymour, Lord and
Lady Howick, the young Bear and Mrs. Ellice, Charles Fox
and Lady Mary, Lords Palmerston, Strafford and Ebrington,
&c., &c.”
James Abercromby, first baron Dunfermline (1776-1858)
The son of Lt.-Gen Sir Ralph Abercromby; he was MP for Midhurst (1807), Calne (1812-30)
and Edinburgh (1832), judge-advocate general (1827) and speaker of the House of Commons
(1835-39); he was raised to the peerage in 1839.
George Stevens Byng (1806-1886)
Son of the first earl (d. 1860); after military service he was MP for Milbourne Port
(1830-32), Chatham (1834, 1837-52), and Poole (1835-37); he held several offices.
Edward Ellice the younger (1810-1880)
Son of the politician and nephew of Earl Grey; educated at Eton and Trinity College,
Cambridge, he was a Whig MP and landowner.
Katherine Jane Ellice [née Balfour] (1792-1859)
The daughter of General Robert Balfour of Balbirnie, Fife; in 1834 she married Edward
Ellice (1810–1880) and was a political hostess and diarist.
Charles Richard Fox (1796-1873)
The eldest son of Lord Holland, born illegitimately and thus barred from the peerage; he
was aide-de-camp to William IV, and MP for Calne (1831-32) and Tavistock (1833-34). He was
an antiquary and member of the Society of Dilettanti.
Lady Mary Fox [née Fitz-Clarence] (1798-1864)
The illegitimate daughter of William IV; in 1824 she married Charles Richard Fox, the
illegitimate son of Lord Holland.
Henry George Grey, third earl Grey (1802-1894)
The son of the second earl; he was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge and was a Whig
MP (1826-45) when he succeeded his father. He was secretary for the colonies
(1846-52).
Lady Maria Grey [née Copley] (1803-1879)
The daughter of Captain Sir Joseph Copley, third baronet; in 1832 she married Henry
George Grey, afterwards third earl Grey.
Bernard Edward Howard, twelfth duke of Norfolk (1765-1842)
Educated at the English College at Douai, in 1815 he succeeded his third cousin, Charles
Howard, eleventh duke (d. 1815), and took his seat in Parliament after passage of the Roman
Catholic Relief Bill of 1829.
James Scarlett, first baron Abinger (1769-1844)
English barrister and politician educated at Trinity College, Cambridge and the Inner
Temple; he was a Whig MP (1819-34) who served as attorney-general in the Canning and
Wellington ministries.
Henry John Temple, third viscount Palmerston (1784-1865)
After education at Harrow and Edinburgh University he was MP for Newport (1807-11) and
Cambridge University (1811-31), foreign minister (1830-41), and prime minister (1855-58,
1859-65).
Charles Callis Western, baron Western (1767-1844)
Of Rivenhall in Essex, politician and agricultural reformer; he was educated at Eton and
Queens' College, Cambridge and was MP for Maldon (1790-1812) and Essex (1812-32). He was a
school friend of Thomas Creevey.
